


Traces of Love

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Declarations Of Love, M/M, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 03:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18229082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Alec often finds himself idly tracing the patterns of runes over Magnus’ exposed skin in soothing, repetitive motions until he falls asleep.This time when his fingers move in the usual repetition of runes over Magnus’ back there’s a new one that’s been on Alec’s mind more often than he cares to admit. One he only dares to draw when he's certain Magnus is fast asleep....or so he thinks.





	Traces of Love

It’s a rare moment for Alec Lightwood’s mind to grow quiet enough for him to fully relax. More often than not it’s in the late hours of the evening, long after Magnus is passed out next to him under the covers after a long day of helping clients and local warlocks, that Alec even _begins_ to unwind.

When he first started spending the night - not just after sex but whenever they were together (and especially when they weren’t and Alec still made it a point to go there anyway, more than willing to travel to and from the Institute every day if it meant going home to Magnus for the night) - Alec found that he was rarely able to fall asleep entirely still. At the beginning it was a moment of rubbing his thumb along the fabric of Magnus’ nightgown, a grounding sensation that reminded him this was real, that he got to have this. But now, more often than not, he often finds himself idly tracing the patterns of runes over Magnus’ exposed skin in soothing, repetitive motions until he falls asleep.

Good luck. Strength. Protected.

He traces them in slow movements with his calloused fingers, at first afraid it might be too rough or disruptive for Magnus’ own rest. But Magnus doesn’t seem to mind when he does it as they fall asleep together, and it doesn’t wake him when Alec does it after he’s already gone to sleep.

The longer they’re together, the more nights Alec is able to drift off in the comforting presence of his boyfriend, Alec finds himself adding another rune into the ritual without realizing.

Good luck. Strength. Protected. Love.

It wouldn’t surprise him if someone pointed it out, not with how strong and sure his love for Magnus Bane has grown since the moment Alec turned his entire world on it’s head to take a chance on him. On them. He loves Magnus and he’s certain there isn’t a single person in the entirety of the Shadow World who would dare doubt that claim.

After a long period of stress and uncertainty things in their life things finally settle, perhaps for good this time, and Alec’s mind begins to turn to one thought more and more frequently than any other. It’s the idea of the future, of spending however long his ‘forever’ may be with the man he loves. And this time when his fingers move in the usual repetition of runes over Magnus’ back, there’s a new one that’s been on Alec’s mind more often than he cares to admit. In another time it filled him with nothing but anxiety and dread, but now it fills him with contentment and warmth.

Good luck. Strength. Protected. Love. Wedded Union.

He traces it with visions of gold and blue in his head, of an Institute full of family and friends, Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike, a union of more than just himself and Magnus. Their relationship a promise to the world that they don’t always have to be at odds, working against one another. And a promise to each other that this is real, this is forever. He traces the rune, imagining it etched onto a ring Magnus wears for the rest of their life together, one that ends up in a box that Alec realizes now would be an honor to find himself represented in one day if it means his existence is something Magnus deems worth remembering through the cruel passage of time. But this time Alec knows he’s doing it, sneaking the rune in only when he’s certain Magnus is asleep because they haven’t even talked about it yet and he doesn’t want to be the one to bring it up first. What if it’s too early? He doesn’t want to make the same mistake he did when he suggested moving in together the first time. He doesn’t want to rush this if he’s the only one who’s reached that point of absolute certainty.

So Alec thinks, and traces, and dreams.

\---

“I’m so sorry to drop him off like this,” Maryse says, though she’s already backing towards the door as she apologizes. “I didn’t have time to find a sitter, and-”

“It’s fine, Maryse. Max and I will find something fun to do until you get back, I’m sure,” Magnus says, eyeing the young Shadowhunter with a smile.

“Not until he finishes his rune practice!” Maryse reminds him, already half-out the door.

“Of course. Studies first!” Magnus reassures her.

“Are you sure you two will be alright?” Alec asks, frowning. “I can cancel my plans with Maia and stay--”

“Don’t you dare,” Magnus says, shaking his head. “Now go get ready. You know how Maia hates waiting.”

Alec hesitates just a moment before disappearing into the bathroom to shower and change, and Magnus keeps his promise to Maryse by sitting Max down at the table with his book of runes and paper set aside for drawing. When Alec comes back into the living room to Magnus explaining the importance of accurate drawing, Alec smiles until he hears the particular rune they’re discussing.

“For the ones that fade after one use, it’s a little less vital to get it perfect the first time. But some of them are there for good, and it’s imperative you get it right, especially if you’re drawing it on someone else. Take, for instance, the wedded union rune--”   
  
Alec freezes, watching as Magnus draws the rune out perfectly in one go, without reference. “The way these lines here overlap just a little, not ending perfectly matched up, is a _very_ important detail.” Magnus’ eyes dart up to meet Alec’s, just for a second, but it’s enough. Alec knows that Magnus _knows_. “You don’t want to get too confident in drawing a rune over and over every night that you brush over the finer details--” Magnus keeps talking to Max but Alec zones out a bit, not hearing the rest of whatever he’s teaching.

He doesn’t know why he thought Magnus wouldn’t notice the rune. Maybe he figured it wasn’t one that would be important to him specifically, so why should he have it memorized enough to catch it as he drifts off to sleep? But that was foolish, because Magnus has been around forever - he helped created the portal, by the Angel! - of _course_ he would know the basic sets of runes.

He thought Magnus was asleep when he traced it but maybe he grew a bit too bold lately. Too eager. Too comfortable.

“Something wrong, Alexander?” Magnus asks, cutting into his thoughts. Alec hesitates, glancing at Max and his book of runes, and shakes his head.

“No. I gotta go, I’ll see you later.” He says, before seizing the opportunity to take his leave as quickly as possible, wondering how he’s going to deal with this later.

He doesn’t want to think about what it might mean, if Magnus noticed him tracing that particular rune on him every night for weeks without mentioning it, but he isn’t eager to find out just then. And if meeting up with Maia buys him a few hours before facing that reality, he’s going to take it.

\---

When Alec gets back Max is gone, and Magnus is in bed with a book that he places a marker in and closes at the sight of Alec in the doorframe.

“...we should, uh, probably talk.” Alec says, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“I was wondering if you were just going to pretend you didn’t catch my hint earlier,” Magnus says, and to Alec’s relief he’s smiling.

For now.

“I always thought you were asleep,” Alec defends, as if that somehow changes anything about the intent behind the action. It pretty much amounts to ‘I didn’t think I’d be caught’, which probably isn’t the best sentiment to attach to thoughts of marriage.

“It took me a little while to place it, when you started drawing it. But once I did… maybe I pretended to sleep, to wait for it once and awhile. Just to see if you were still doing it.” Magnus admits, tone impressively neutral.

“That long?” Alec groans, making his way a few steps into the bedroom.

“I don’t know when you started, but I’m sure I caught on relatively early.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Alec asks, not sure he wants the answer.   _Because I didn’t want to break it to you that I don’t feel the same_ . _Because we’re never going to get married_ . _Because we’re too different for that life, it was never meant for us._

Instead, the answer he gets back is unexpected - so much so that it startles him enough to stop him dead in the middle of the room.

“Because I didn’t want you to stop.” Magnus’ words are simple and honest in a way that nearly brings Alec to tears.

“Oh,” Alec says, voice soft as the meaning of Magnus’ words sink in.

“You’re not the only one who likes to fall asleep thinking of our future, you know.”

 _Our future_.

“I know that now,” Alec says, smiling as he finishes getting undressed, sliding under the covers next to Magnus.

They don’t say anything more on it just then, letting the moment settle between them for the time being. There’s no need to rush, after all. They both have their forever together ahead of them, and they both know that now. It’ll come soon enough.

Magnus turns the lights off and they settle in next to one another, Alec’s arm instinctively draping over Magnus, his fingers starting to move before hesitating over the skin of his shoulder.

“Having second thoughts?” Magnus questions, and Alec realizes he was about to do the very thing Magnus was afraid of - stopping now that he knows Magnus is paying attention, now that it carries a conscious weight more serious than an absent-minded bedtime ritual.

“No,” Alec is quick to reassure. “Not about you. Never about us.”

He presses his finger to the skin of Magnus’ shoulder, tracing the first line. This time as they drift off to sleep Alec starts with the wedded union rune, making careful note to overlap the lines at all the right spots.

After all, this is one he doesn’t plan on messing up.

This one is forever, and he’s going to get it right the first time.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell) while we all hang out waiting for someone to #SaveShadowhunters ! <3)


End file.
